Deer Hollow Farm’s 100,000 annual visitors often ask the same questions about the Farm. So, we decided to gather some of the most frequently asked questions and answer them all in one location.
Who Named Deer Hollow Farm?
Mountain View Recreation Supervisor Glenn Lyles named the farm in 1975, when Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District acquired the Perham Ranch within the Preserve. Mountain View responded to Midpen’s calls to all nearby cities for Farm management.
In 1976, Mountain View appointed Linda Newberry as the Farm’s first Resident Naturalist. That year the Farm’s environmental ed programs started with the first Summer Camp. The Farm has always had herds of deer living in the surrounding Rancho San Antonio Preserve, so that probably contributed to Glenn’s selection of the name.
How Old Is The Farm?
Deer Hollow Farm was settled in the 1853 by the Grant Brothers, who acquired the land via the Homestead Act. The Farm stayed in the Grant Family for 77 years, when it was sold to the Perham Family in the 1930s. Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District acquired the Farm in 1975, since the Farm was then located within the 3,800-acres of the Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve.
How Many Animals Live On The Farm?
The animal population varies with the season. There are always sheep, goats, pigs, cows, chickens, ducks, and geese but the actual numbers change. The Farm doesn’t seek to expand the population, but rather maintain a representation of all types of Farm animals, much like a homestead farm it is. When the animal population rises, animals are traded or sold to other farms or to market.
Who Manages The Farm?
A unique partnership of many community and government organizations runs the Farm. Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, which owns the buildings, provides maintenance. The City of Mountain View Recreation Department manages the animals and environmental education programs, which include field trips, summer camp, and classes.
The County of Santa Clara Recreation Department provides operations funding as do the cities of Cupertino and Los Altos Hills, and Friends of Deer Hollow Farm donors. Farm volunteers provide 8,000 hours a year to care for the animals, orchard, and garden, they also serve as docents for the classes and visitors and to help maintain the Farm, all under the direction of Mountain View Recreation Department staff.
Answers compiled by Sue Gale.
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